Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q (SCNB) recently shipped care packages with official SCNB T-shirts and all of the ingredients needed to prepare its eastern North Carolina–style chicken, barbecue, and other southern staples to U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan.
Although the brand knew its donation would be consumed and most likely appreciated, SCNB was not fully aware of the impact and reach the gift would garner. A few weeks after the delivery, Richard Averitte, SCNB’s operations director and director of marketing, received the following letter:
Good afternoon Mr. Averitte,
Recently you sent our unit a generous donation out here in Afghanistan. We were able to have an awesome BBQ. I was able to take some pictures.
Again, it is people like you who keep the morale high when it is low. I will be back in NC sometime in November and I will be sure to visit SCNB every day that I am there. Thanks again for your donations, the team thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only did we feed the team, but we fed over 100 personnel.
Very Respectfully,
Wesley S. Wallace CPT, LG
“The most important aspect of the donation, was making sure our troops know that the American people haven’t forgotten them and that we appreciate their service,” Averitte says. “Receiving a personalized thank you and pictures of them enjoying our food on the battlefield was an unexpected and fulfilling surprise.”
Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q also supports the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, Rex Blood Center, InterAct, and donates food, supplies, and participating in local school fundraising events.